by Benson Agoha
Saturday's attack on villagers in the Northeastern state of Borno reportedly claimed several lives and a flurry reactions.
Media reports announcing several figures appear to have settle for arout 200, with eyewitness saying their street were littered with bodies, even after the bandits, who laid siege lasting several hours on the village, have fled.
The resurgence of attacks from Boko Haram, recently led to President Goodluck Jonathan making changes to the top brass of Nigerias security agencies, effecting the appointment of Air Marshall Alex Badeh of Adamawa State. He pledged to defeat Boko Haram by the end of April.
Saturday's attack was the third attack by the terror group in the last one month.
On January 26, an attack on St Paul's Church in the village of Waga Chakawa in Adamawa, left 60 worshippers dead and several others injured. Four days later, on Friday 31st January, 2014, eight people were killed in another religious violence in Nigeria, seven of them members of the same family.
Baffled by the ease with which Boko Haram appeared to obtain supplies, operate and disappear, USA based International Anti-money Laundering Watchdogs is indicated to be considering action to blacklist Nigeria, for its inability to track the source of funds fueling Boko Haram's activities, and by so doing curbing terrorism financing in general.
According Nigeria Political Economist "Feelers from Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global standard setter for measures to combat money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing, indicated that despite the earlier warnings to Nigeria on its non-compliance level, the country was yet to take any concrete step to stem the rising spate of financial crimes including terrorism financing, money laundering and corruption."
It occured on 11th February, 2014 when FATF listed Nigeria as among the countries that have not made significant progress in addressing the lacunas in their Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) regimes.
The threat is coming even as Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state revealed fears that Boko Haram may have been allowed much freedom to entrench themselves that they are now considered stronger than the military.
In an interview with Nigeria's Channels Television after a meeting with President Jonathan, Governor Shettima said "Nigerian Army Can’t Defeat Boko Haram."
“Bottom line is that we need more resources, more vote on ground. In all fairness to the officers and men of the Nigerian Army and Police, they are doing their best given the circumstances they have found themselves in. But honestly Boko Haram are better armed and are better motivated than our own troops”. he was quoted as saying.
Expressing his fears to State House correspondents, the governor said “Believe me, I am (an) eternal optimist as I have always said. But I am also a realist. Given the present state of affairs, it is absolutely impossible for us to defeat Boko Haram."
Describing Borno state as being in a war, the governor said it was unbelievable the terror group could over run so many communities in his state without a challenge.
Saturday's attacks reportedly lasted five hours and the attackers, who are said to be active in Yobo, Borno and Adamawa States, still got away.
* Twitter: @bensonagoha.
* Twitter: @woolwichonline.
<>-----------------------------------------<>
* Do you have a Story, News, Photos or Views to share?
* Except otherwise instructed, to protect identity, Woolwich Online retains the right to substitute name of authors.
* Articles for publication must have full contact details, including name, address and telephone number of sender and sent by email to: onlinewoolwich@yahoo.co.uk.
<>-----------------------------------------<>
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please add your comments here